Welcome to Blanco County, Texas

Blanco County is in the Hill Country of South Central Texas, bordered on the west by Gillespie County, on the north by Burnet and Llano counties, on the east by Hays County, and on the south by Kendall and Comal counties. Johnson City is the county seat. Blanco is the largest city and is located 45 miles from both Austin and San Antonio.

We hold several annual events along with frequent special events, concerts, fundraisers, and more. Nearby communities — including Fredericksburg, Marble Falls, Stonewall, Luckenbach — also host a variety of events year-round.

Austin is located 45 minutes east and San Antonio is 45 minutes south. Blanco County and the surrounding counties are growing rapidly with the expansion of those large cities.

Blanco County’s industries include farming, ranching, and tourism. In a 2016 estimate, the county population was 11,392. The city of Blanco has 1,739 citizens, Johnson City, 1,656, and Round Mountain, 181. Blanco and the surrounding counties, however, are growing rapidly with the expansion of Austin and San Antonio.

Blanco, Texas

Beautiful Blanco, Texas, is located in the Texas Hill Country. Blanco evokes memories of the past with its historic old courthouse on the town square, historic homes, small town charm, and the Blanco River meandering through town.

Blanco is home to about 1,960 people.

Johnson City, Texas

At the crossroads of US 281 and US 290, Johnson City is the county seat and is home to the historic 1916 county courthouse, which is still in use. Johnson City is also a crossroads of art, science, and history. The city is known for its art galleries, the Hill Country Science Mill, and part of the LBJ National Historic Park.

Johnson City is home to about 2,000 people.

Blanco and Johnson City both fit the definition of small town in a county with just over 10,000 people. The communities are tight-knit, always ready to help each other, and also welcoming to visitors. The volunteer spirit is alive with active involvement in many community organizations.

History

The area was first settled by white pioneers in 1853 when Captain James Hughes Callahan, his friend Eli Clemens Hinds, and their families bought land and built homes on the Blanco River near the present-day city of Blanco.

In 1854, General John D. Pitts joined Callahan and others in starting the Pittsburg Land Company and laid out the town of Pittsburg across the river from today’s Blanco.

Through the combined efforts of the Pittsburg Land Company and citizens of Comal County, the legislature formed Blanco County in 1858 from parts of Comal, Hays, Burnet, and Gillespie counties. A site across the Blanco River from Pittsburg was elected to be the county seat since it was within five miles of the center of the new county. The county and city were named after the Blanco River, which had been named for its limestone riverbed.

A courthouse was first erected in 1860 in the Blanco town square. The Old Blanco County Courthouse on today’s Blanco Square was completed in 1885.

As new counties were formed to the south, settlers along the Pedernales River in the northern part of the county felt the city of Blanco was no longer accessible. After a failed petition, Johnson City was established on land owned by James Polk Johnson, after whom the town was named. Citizens attempted several more petitions before the county seat was moved to Johnson City, which is four miles north of the center and 12 miles north of Blanco. The courthouse there, which is still in use, was built in 1916.